Method of making furniture drawers or the like and article produced thereby



i h D R A W E RS AND ART I OLE EEEEEEEEEEEEE BY p 20, 1966 E. HIMELREICHETAL 3,273,952

METHOD OF MAKING FURNITURE DRAWERS OR THE LIKE AND ARTICLE PRODUCEDTHEREBY Filed July 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS LOUIS E.H\MELRE\CH WARREN A. DILLEN BY M) E SW X ATTORNEY United States Patent3,273,952 METHUD 0F MAKlNG FURNITURE DRAWERS OR THE LIKE AND ARTICLEPRODUCED THEREBY Louis E. Himelreich, Louisville, and Warren A. Dillen,

.leffersontown, Ky., assignors to H. J. Scheirich Company, Louisvilie,Ky a corporation of Kentucky Filed July 14, 1964, Ser. No. 382,444Claims. (Cl. 312-330) This invention relates to an improved andeconomical method for producing articles such as furniture drawers, andto the article so produced. More particularly it relates to a method bywhich a long intermediate stock member is employed and which is suitablefor cutting to size as needed for the purpose of providing the centralbody structure of a plurality of the articles to be formed. As anexample of the use of the invention, bedroom fumiture drawers arecommonly designated as small, medium or large with respect to theirvolumetric capacity and a much greater range of widths (that is, thedimension between the drawer side Walls) is involved than the depths(that is, the dimension between the front and rear walls) or the heights(that is, the dimension from the floor to top edge) of such drawers. Themost popular small drawers conventionally have widths ranging from 9 to18 inches but with heights ranging only from four to six inches anddepths ranging only from to 17 inches. Similarly, medium drawers rangein widths of from 18 to 36 inches, but with depths ranging from 12 to 18inches and heights from five to eight inches. Moreover, large drawerssimilarly range in width from 37 to 48 inches, but in depth from 14 to19 inches and in height from five to nine inches.

As will thus be noted, the central body portion of a drawer having adepth of 14 inches and a height of six inches might be suitable for usein a small, medium or large type of drawer depending only upon the widthwhich it possesses.

An object of the invention is to provide a method for manufacturingfurniture drawers or the like, in which a central body portion of eachof a plurality of drawers are formed from a single elongated stockintermediate by cuting therefrom and at a desired width of the centralbody portions.

Another object is to provide an economical process for the manufacturingof furniture drawers and in which a reduced number of sizes of stockmaterial are employed.

Another object is to provide an improved furniture drawer.

A further object is to provide a reinforced furniture drawer and formedof a material such as plastic.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds and when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with portions broken away, of a drawerembodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the elongated stock intermediateemployed with the invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the side wall members.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the end of the side wall member ofFIG. 4.

Referring first to FIG. 2, the invention comprehends the formation of anelongated stock intermediate which, for example, may comprise anextrusion of a plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride or the like,having a length which is limited essentially to the requirements ofstorage and handling. Lengths in the order of eight feet or longerpreferably are employed. Metal extrusions such as alu- 3,273,952Patented Sept. 20, 1966 minum alloys may also be employed, and indeedthe stock intermediate is not necessarily formed as an extrusion sinceother ways of shaping the same may be used without departing from theessentials of the invention. In any event, however, the intermediate hasa cross-section which is uniform transversely of the intermediate atvarious locations longitudinally thereof and this cross-section includesa rear wall section 10, a floor section 11 and a front wall section 12.In view of constructional features later to be described, these partsmay be comparatively thin and having, as for example, a thickness ofabout 0.100 inch when employed for furniture drawers.

Extending longitudinally of the rear wall section along the top edgethereof is a reinforcing rib integral with the rear wall 10 and whichconveniently may comprise a hollow box-like shape having a top surface13, rear surface 14, and lower surface 15. Extending longitudinally ofthe front wall section is a plurality of channel-forming reinforcingribs integral with the front wall and which may conveniently comprisespaced pairs of flat strips 16, 17; 18, 19; and 20, 21. In addition, theextreme upper edge of the front wall is directed outwardly to form anupper reinforcing ledge 22 which terminates in the same plane as theedges of these strips thereby to form abutments against which a separatedrawer front member 23 may be mounted, as later to be described.

In accordance with the invention, the elongated stock intermediate willbe cut transversely as along dotted lines L and L to form a plurality ofdetached central body members C and C for drawers later to be assembled,and such body members may, of course, have either the same or differentdrawer widths. Assuming that the central member C is to be used inconstructing the medium-sized drawer shown in FIG. 1, there is provideda left-hand drawer side wall as best seen in FIGS. 4 to 6 and whichpreferably is molded of plastic such as high impact styrene. This sidewall includes an imperforate central web 30 having an inwardly directedintegral foot portion 31 adapted to slide in contact with a conventionalguide 32 (FIG. 5) mounted upon the front rail portion 33 of the cabinetin which the drawer is to be installed. Projecting inwardly from the web30 above the foot portion is a first or lower mounting strip 34separated from .a second or upper mounting strip 35 by a recess 36, FIG.4, adapted to receive the extreme left hand end of the floor 11 of thedrawer. These mounting strips are formed integrally with the drawer sidewall and the upper strip at its rearward end is directed upwardly toform a narrow back wall portion 37 for the drawer, while the lower stripsimilarly is directed upwardly to form a narrow back wall portion 38,the upper rear ends of these strips being joined by the exposed upperledge 39 and the recess 36 being in communication with recess 40. Aswill be understood, recesses 36 and 40 have a configuration adapted toreceive with a close fit the extreme left hand end of the detachedcentral member C including the box-like reinforcing rib 131415 thereof.

The upper ledge 39 is continued around the upper periphery of the drawerside walls as shown at 41 and 42 and includes a depending skirt portion43 and 44 serving to give further rigidity to the assembled drawer.Moreover, the upper strip 35 at its forward end is directed upwardly toform a narrow front wall portion 50 for the drawer and joins the upperledge portion 42 as best seen in FIG. 4. The foot portion 31 at itsrearward end joins the back wall portion 38 and at spaced points isjoined to the lower surface of the lower mounting strips 34 as by smallwebs 51 and 52. The intervening web between the foot portion 31 andupper ledge portion 42 provides an offset wall 53 serving a usefulpurpose as now to be explained.

Projecting inwardly from offset wall 53 is a plurality of guide blocks54, 55, 56 and 57 which are spaced from the narrow front wall portion 50and which cooperate to provide the necessary recesses for receiving theleft hand edge of the central member C including the spaced pairs offlat strips formed thereon. The upper edge of block 54, as Well as theedge of the lower mounting strip 34, are suitably chamfered to assist ininsertion of the central member C into the recesses provided by thedrawer side Wall. As will now be seen, when the central member isinserted in place, the narrow front wall portion 50 and the strips 34and 35 and the narrow rear wall portions 37 and 38 contact a substantialarea of the extreme left hand end of that central member. In accordancewith the invention, these parts are then joined rigidly together as bymeans of adhesive, or by heat as when thermoplastic materials are used,or by means of ultrasonic sealing equipment, or the like.

Having thus described the details of construction of the left handdrawer side wall, it will be understood that a right hand drawer sidewall 60 indicated generally in FIG. 1 also is employed and isconstructed in the same manner, but with a configuration of its faceconfronting the described left hand side wall forming a mirror imagetherefor.

Frequently, the drawers made in accordance with the invention will beemployed in wooden cabinets and wherein for appearance it is desirableto have the front of the drawer covered with a wooden member. Thepresent drawer is particularly well suited for this arrangement and whenthe wooden front 23 is used, the inner surface thereof lies in contactwith the front edge of strips 16 to 21 and ledge 22 and the ends abutagainst the offset walls 53. By means of suitable fastenings such asbolts, not shown, passing through the wooden front 2 3 and between thestrips 16, 17 and the strips 20, 21, the front is securely attached tothe drawer body. Additional fastenings 6'1 and 62 extending from handle63 and passing between strips 18, .19 and anchored inside the front wall12, as indicated in FIG. 3, provide additional reinforcement for thedrawer.

Additional elements may be joined to the described drawer if desired, asfor example, a conventional roller guiding means 64 or suitable drawerdividers (not shown). The bottom 11 of the drawer may be flat or, asshown, may be given a shallow corrugated form for additionalreinforcement and in which event the recess 36 in the end walls willhave a corresponding form. The inherent reinforcement afforded againsttorsional and other forms of stressing by the drawer of the presentinvention constitutes an important feature and as will be noted, thebox-like reinforcing structure at the top of the rear wall, the ledgesand depending skirts at the top edges of the side walls, and thereinforcing strips on the front wall all contribute to this end and inno way detract from the method by which the elongated stock intermediatecan be employed. As will further be noted, the portions of the frontwall 1-2 between the pairs of reinforcing strips fit between the blocks54 and 57 and the wall section 50, and the ends of that front wall 12abut against the offset walls 53 with the vertical dimensions of theblocks corresponding to the vertical spacings between the strips inadjacent pairs thus to give reinforcement on three different planeswhere these parts are joined together.

Having thus described the invention, it will be obvious to those skilledin the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the invention and it is intended in the followingclaims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within thetrue spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a method for producing furniture drawers and the like, the stepscomprising; providing as a stock intermediate an elongated member havinga bottom portion and front and rear wall portions integral therewith andupstanding from said bottom portion in spaced relation to each other anddefining therebetween an unobstructed space in which the contents of thedrawer may later be stored, cutting said elongated member transverselythereof to form a detached member adapted for use as the central bodyportion of a drawer, thereafter rigidly affixing a pair of drawer sidewall members to the respective ends of said detached member, andthereafter rigidly affixing to the exterior of said front wall portion afront member covering the space between the front ends of said side wallmembers, thus to form a drawer.

2. In a method for producing reinforced furniture drawers and the likethe steps comprising; providing as a stock intermediate an elongatedmember having a bottom portion and front and rear wall portions integraltherewith and upstanding from said bottom portion in spaced relation toeach other and defining therebetween an unobstructed space in which thecontents of the drawer may later be stored, cutting said elongatedmember transversely thereof to form a detached member adapted for use asthe central body portion of a drawer, providing a pair of drawer sidewall members having recesses into which the respective ends of saiddetached member fit, inserting said ends of said detached member intosaid recesses in said side wall members, rigidly affixing the parts toeach other with said ends occupying said recesses and thereafter rigidlyafiixi-ng to the exterior of said front Wall portion a front membercovering the space between the front ends of said side wall members thusto form a drawer.

3. A furniture drawer comprising a unitary central body member formingthe floor, rear wall, and front wall of the drawer, a pair of separateside walls rigidly affixed to the ends of the central body member andhaving mirrorimage faces confronting the respective ends of the centralbody member, said central body member having integral reinforcingportions extending longitudinally thereof and said faces of said sidewalls having recesses therein receiving the ends of said central bodymember including the respective ends of said reinforcing portions, and afront member affixed to the exterior of said front wall and cofieringthe space between the front ends of said side wa s.

4. A furniture drawer as defined in claim 3 wherein said reinforcingportions include a rib located at the top portion of the rear wall ofsaid central body member.

5. A furniture drawer as defined in claim 3 wherein said reinforcingportions include a plurality of strips projecting outwardly from saidfront wall in spaced relation to each other, and said side walls includeguide blocks integral with said side walls and engaging the respectiveends of said strips.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,467,698 4/ 1949Reynolds 2204 X 2,488,916 11/1949 Johnson 31234-9 2,596,881 5/1952 White220-4 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

OHANOELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

F. DOMOTOR, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A METHOD FOR PRODUCING FURNITURE DRAWERS AND THE LIKE, THE STEPSCOMPRISING; PROVIDING AS A STOCK INTERMEDIATE AN ELONGATED MEMBER HAVINGA BOTTOM PORTION AND FRONT AND REAR WALL PORTIONS INTEGRAL THEREWITH ANDUPSTANDING FROM SAID BOTTOM PORTION IN SPACED RELATION TO EACH OTHER ANDDEFINING THEREBETWEEN AN UNOBSTRUCTED SPACE IN WHICH THE CONTENTS OF THEDRAWER MAY LATER BE STORED, CUTTING SAID ELONGATED MEMBER TRANSVERSELYTHEREOF TO FORM A DETACHED MEMBER ADAPTED FOR USE AS THE CENTRAL BODYPORTION OF A DRAWER, THEREAFTER RIGIDLY AFFIXING A PAIR OF DRAWER SIDEWALL MEMBERS TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID DETACHED MEMBER, ANDTHEREAFTER RIGIDLY AFFIXING TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID FRONT WALL PORTION AFRONT MEMBER COVERING THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FRONT ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALLMEMBERS, THUS TO FORM A DRAWER.